Organ preservation without extreme hypothermia using an Oxygen supplemented perfusate.

All methods of organ preservation depend upon hypothermia to depress metabolism during storage. Yet, hypothermia may represent the rate-limiting factor in organ preservation. A new perfusate has been developed which supports organ preservation without extreme hypothermia. The perfusate consists of a complex fluid supplemented with an oxygen carrying perfluorocarbon emulsion, Oxygent (Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp,). The perfusate was used to preserve canine kidney autografts using pulsatile preservation at 32 degrees C and static storage at 25 degrees C. Upon autografting the dogs produced urine within minutes of reperfusion. These results indicate the new perfusate may have significant potential in organ preservation without extreme hypothermia.